Bridge for musical instrument

ABSTRACT

The bridge for guitars and similar string instruments comprises a bridge block fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard of a guitar, and bridge saddles being fabricated of a dense, rigid material such as bone or polymer, and being engageable through the bridge block to contact the soundboard, each of the bridge saddles comprising a base portion which is engageable with the receptacles, and a head at the uppermost terminal end of the base portion, and head portion having a pointed knife-like uppermost terminal edge on which strings rest.

[4 1 July 29, 1975 BRIDGE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT [76] Inventor: Lyle Heath Kingsbury, 1010 N. 31st St., Boise, Idaho 83703 [22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 416,698

[52] U.S. Cl. 84/307 [51] Int. Cl. Gl0d 3/04 [58] Field of Search 84/307-31 l, 84/267-269, 274

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 43,358 12/1812 Goodyear 84/309 2,046,331 7/1936 Loar 84/267 2,188,127 1/1940 Ange1i.... 84/269 2,292,232 8/1942 Liske 84/307 2,573,254 10/1957 Fender 84/307 3,018,680 l/1962 Paul 84/307 3,178,985 4/1965 Jeranson.... 84/307 3,237,502 3/1966 Moseley 84/307 3,290,980 12/1966 Fender 84/307 3,440,921 4/1969 McCarty 84/307 3,605,545 9/1971 Rendell 84/307 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 250,768 3/1966 Austria 84/307 Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Assistant Examiner-Vit W. Miska Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John W. Kraft; Charles L. Kraft l1 5 7] ABSTRACT The bridge for guitars and similar string instruments comprises a bridge block fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard of a guitar, and bridge saddles being fabricated of a dense, rigid material such as bone or polymer, and being engageable through the bridge block to contact the soundboard, each of the bridge saddles comprising a base portion which is engageable with the receptacles, and a head at the uppermost terminal end of the base portion, and head portion having a pointed knife-like uppermost terminal edge on which strings rest.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL29|975 SHEET FIG. 5

BRIDGE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to bridges for string instruments, and more particularly to bridges for string instruments such as guitars.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Bridges commonly used and employed in guitars and similar stringed instruments have typically included a hard wood member having a pyramidic shape fastened transversely to the soundboard of a guitar. Various means have been suggested to improve the mounting of bridges and the cooperation of bridges with strings. These have included metal bracket-like members, wood members having threaded pins, and other similarly conceived improvements. It is important that so much attention has been committed to improving the loudness and resonance of guitars by modifications of the bridge over such a long period.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bridge for guitars and similar instruments which increases the loudness and resonance of guitars and similar instruments.

It is a further object of this invention that means be provided for more directly transmitting vibrations from strings to the soundboard.

It is another object of this invention that the improved bridge be adaptable to guitars with or without tailpieces.

It is another object of this invention to set forth various modifications of the present invention which would teach thereby adjustments or modifications which may maximize sound characteristics of various individual types of guitars.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following, it being understood that modifications may be made without affecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The bridge for guitars and similar string instruments comprises a bridge block fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard of a guitar, and bridge saddles being fabricated of a dense, rigid material such as bone or polymer, and being engageable through the bridge block to contact the soundboard, each of the bridge saddles comprising a base portion which is engageable with the receptacles, and a head portion having a pointed knife-like uppermost terminal edge on which strings rest.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the bridge of this invention shown with a fragmentary end portion of a guitar body.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the bridge in a guitar environment of the FIG. I shown with the end portion removed for illustrative purposes and showing to advantage the interior construction thereof.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 3-3 of the FIG. I showing the interior construction of the present bridge with one of the bridge saddles removed for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 2--2 of the FIG. 8 showing the interior configuration of a further embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a typical bridge saddle modified to include a resonating cavity.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional, side elevational view of a further embodiment of the bridge in a guitar environment.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the guitar showing to advantage the bridge of this invention in combination with a tailpiece mounted on the soundboard with a portion of the tailpieces top wall broken away for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the guitar showing to advantage another model of the tailpiece in combination with the bridge of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to the FIG. 1, the improved bridge for stringed instruments, such as guitars and the like, is shown to advantage and generally identified by the numeral 10. The bridge 10 is mounted at its normal position on the soundboard 11 of the body 12 of a guitar 13. Strings 14 are fastened at the terminal end of the body 12 by a tailpiece 15, and are strung forwardly over the bridge 10 to the neck (not shown). It may be seen that the rearward terminal ends of the strings 14 may be suitably secured to the bridge 10, thus eliminating the necessity of a tailpiece 15, as hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the FIGS. 2 and 3, the bridge 10 comprises a bridge block 16 and a multiplicity of bridge saddles 17. The bridge block 16 is suitably fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard 11, or may be structurally connected by pegs and the like (not shown) to a reinforcing member 18 on the interior side of the body 12. The bridge saddles 17 may be fabricated of a dense, rigid material,

such as bone, ebony, or dense polymer; and include a base portion 19 and a head portion 20. The base portion 19 has a rectangular configuration which is operable to engage receptacles 21 disposed vertically through the bridge block 16 distally below and in alignment with the strings 14. The bridge saddles 17 are operable to be engaged through the receptacles 21, such that the base portion 19 of each of the saddles 17 is in communication with the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard 11. The head portion 20 projects a predetermined distance above the uppermost terminal edge of the bridge block 16. The head 20 may be provided with a pointed rectilinear cross-section with respect to the guitar l3 and a straight transverse cross-section, thus providing a knife-like uppermost terminal edge to the head portion 20. As shown in the FIG. 2, the bridge saddles 17 may be fabricated to support a single string 14 or a plurality of strings 14. The bridge saddles 17 may also be provided with notches 22 centrally cut at a predetermined depth to retain the strings 14 in position.

As shown in the FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the strings 14 are strung over the uppermost terminal edge of the bridge saddles 17, and are connected to the tailpiece l5 and the forwardmost terminal end of the neck (not shown). Downward force of the strings 14 on the saddles 17 results in an intensified transmission of sound or resonate vibrations through the saddles 17 to the soundboard 16. Transmission of sound to the soundboard 11 and body 12 is further intensified by the direct contact of the strings 14 to the soundboard 11 through the saddles 17. It may be seen that sound transmitting qualities of the bridge are further increased by the dense material from which the bridge saddles 17 are fabricated.

Referring now to the FIG. 4, a further embodiment of the bridge 10 includes a bridge block 16, substantially as set out above, and bridge saddles 17 having substantially the same configuration as set out above. In the further embodiment, the saddles 17 are disposed through the bridge receptacles 21 and receptacles 11 provided in vertical alignment with receptacles 21 in the soundboard 11, such that the base portion 19 engages the uppermost terminal side of the reenforcing member 18. Operation of this further embodiment is substantially as set out above, with the additional characteristic that the direct cooperation of the saddles 17 with the reenforcing member 18 is even more highly exploited.

As shown in the FIG. 5, a further embodiment of the bridge saddles 17 includes a base portion 19, a head portion 20 substantially as set out above, and a resonating cavity 23 provided substantially centrally and rectilinearly at a predetermined depth from the lowermost terminal edge of the base portion 19. The cavity 23 is found to cause the saddles 17 to resonate more freely in response to vibrations from the strings 14. It has also been found to advantage to provide resonating cavities (not shown) centrally between the saddle receptacles 21 in the bridge 16, further exploiting the resonating quality between the strings l4 and soundboard 11.

Referring now to the FIG. 6, a further embodiment of the bridge 10 is intended to be used with guitars 13 not having a tailpiece 15. The bridge 10 of the further embodiment includes a bridge block 16, bridge saddles 17, a rest 24, and bridge lock pins 25. The bridge block 16 carries bridge saddles 17 in substantially the same manner as set out above. The bridge block 16 includes an apron 26 which issues rearwardly from the portion carrying the saddles 17. The rest 24 may be detachably secured distally rearward of the saddles 17 on the uppermost terminal side of the apron 26. The lock pins 25 are engaged through suitable vertical keyway-like holes 27 provided at the rearwardmost portion of the apron 26 in alignment with keyway-like holes 28 and 18' provided in the soundboard l1 and reenforcing member 18. Strings 14 are strung over the saddles 17 as set out above, and are strung through rectilinearly disposed recesses 24 provided between the rest 24 and the apron 26; and are secured by the lock pins 25 at the lowermost terminal side of the soundboard 11 as commonly used and employed in securing strings of plucked instruments. It has also been found to advantage to provide ball lock pins (not shown) at the rearward terminal side of the rest 24 adjacent the rearward terminal end of the recesses 24' in a manner commonly known in the art as pinless bridge. This is the preferred string securing means, in addition to the tailpiece method, thus allowing resonation between strings 14 and soundboard 11 by the saddles 17 as set out above, whereas the vertically disposed lock pins 25 have a tendency to reduce the resonation of the soundboard contacting saddles 17 because they too are in direct contact with the soundboard 11. It has been found to advantage to provide the rest portion 24 of the bridge block 16 of a predetermined height with the uppermost terminal side of the rest 24 disposed distally rearward and above the string engaging head portion 20 operable to provide a resting surface for the pluckers hand, thus preventing any grounding of the strings 14 which would also reduce the resonation provided by the soundboard contacting saddles 17.

Referring again to the tailpiece 15 in combination with the bridge 10 of this invention and more particularly to the respective tailpieces 15 shown to advantage in the FIGS. 7 and 8. Each of these further exploit the resonation as hereinafter described. As seen in the FIG. 7, a floating tailpiece 15' may be disposed between the bridge 10 and the rearward terminal end of the guitar 13 at a preselected distance disposed distally forward of the rearward terminal end of the soundboard ll of the guitar 13. The floating tailpiece 15' is suitably fastened transversely of the instrument on the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard 11. The tailpiece 15 may be provided with horizontally disposed bores 29 operable to house the rearward terminal ends of the strings 14. The strings 14 are secured at the rearward terminal ends of the bores 29 in a like manner to the bridge 10 by lock pins 29' as set out above. It may be seen that the bores 29 are disposed in their respective alignment with the strings 14 such that the strings 14 are retained in their respective radiating alignment from the neck (not shown) of the guitar 13 to the rearward terminal end of the guitar 13. By retaining the strings 14 in their respective such alignment between the bridge 10 and the tailpiece 15 the transmission of resonate vibration from the strings 14 to the soundboard 11 tends to be increased. A height adjusting tailpiece 15" for the strings 14 may be alternatively provided which is more clearly shown to advantage in the FIG. 8. Thus, a desired amount of downward pressure on the bridge saddles 17 may be achieved by vertically adjusting the tailpiece 15 which is provided with a vertically slotted adjustment means 30. The tailpiece 15" is slidably mounted to the rearward terminal end of the guitar body 12 and is operable to retain the strings 14 in their respective radiating alignment from the guitar neck (not shown) to the ball locks 31 provided on the rearward terminal side of the tailpiece 15" distally from the uppermost terminal edge. The resonation received from the strings 14 by the tailpiece 15" is transferred to the rearward terminal end of the guitar body 12. Suffice it to say that the floating tailpiece 15 may be used and employed in combination with the height-adjusting tailpiece 15" which tends to substantially further increase the transfer of resonate vibration from the strings 14 to the soundborad l1 and guitar l. A bridge for a guitar and similar stringed instrument, comprising;

A bridge block fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard of said guitar; and

bridge saddles being fabricated of a dense, rigid material and being engageable through said bridge block to contact said soundboard, each of said saddles comprising a base portion which is engageable with receptacles in said bridge block and a head portion of the uppermost terminal end of said base portion, said head portion having a pointed, knifelike uppermost terminal edge of which a string may rest 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality a single bridge saddles may support a plurality of said strings.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said strings are strung from the neck of said guitar over said bridge saddles to a tailpiece.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a rest fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of said bridge block distally rearward of said bridge saddles, strings of said guitar being strung over said saddles and under said rest and fastened adjacent said rest in said soundboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a resonating cavity bored rectilinearly from the lowermost terminal end of said base portion of said bridge saddles.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said saddle is engaged through said soundboard and fastened thereto.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said strings are fastened to said tailpiece in parallel juxtaposition. 

1. A bridge for a guitar and similar stringed instrument, comprising; A bridge block fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of the soundboard of said guitar; and bridge saddles being fabricated of a dense, rigid material and being engageable through said bridge block to contact said soundboard, each of said saddles comprising a base portion which is engageable with receptacles in said bridge block and a head portion of the uppermost terminal end of said base portion, said head portion having a pointed, knife-like uppermost terminal edge of which a string may rest
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality a single bridge saddles may support a plurality of said strings.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said strings are strung from the neck of said guitar over said bridge saddles to a tailpiece.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a rest fastened transversely to the uppermost terminal side of said bridge block distally rearward of said bridge saddles, strings of said guitar being strung over said saddles and under said rest and fastened adjacent said rest in said soundboard.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a resonating cavity bored rectilinearly from the lowermost terminal End of said base portion of said bridge saddles.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said saddle is engaged through said soundboard and fastened thereto.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said strings are fastened to said tailpiece in parallel juxtaposition. 